Google is set to unveil Android 2.0 on October 28 and the first phone featuring the new OS (Verizon Droid) will be in customers hand on November 6. Developers feel left in the dark because Google has failed to publicly release the Android 2.0 SDK or comment on the upcoming changes.

Not all is lost, because Google has hand picked several developers to receive an early look at Android 2.0 and test their software on new devices.

Check out this invitation that was recently sent out to select devs:

Congratulations! Based on the popularity of your Android application,
we’d like to invite you to visit Google to test drive your code on new
test hardware.

This is an invitation only event to take place at the following locations:

We’re opening a few slots next week for developers to come in and
explore new screen sizes and features of the platform. During this
time you’ll have access to Android engineers, as well as test hardware
devices. All attendees are required to accept our NDA, which will be
sent to you upon registration.

What do you guys think? Is it fair that only a small group of devs have access to the code while everyone else is left waiting? How do you think Google is handling the release of Android 2.0 so far?

Taylor is the founder of Android and Me. He resides in Dallas and carries the Samsung Galaxy S 4 and HTC One as his daily devices. Ask him a question on Twitter or Google+ and he is likely to respond. | Ethics statement

Juuum that’s good. But I wonder if Steve Kondike (Cyanogen) receive this invitation after what happens. That would be bad if he didn’t receive it. Specially knowing that The HTC Dream would suck right now without Steve intervention.

I think its completely fair to give developers of applications that are profiting google greatly a chance to preview new handsets/os updates before others. Its kind of a “Hey, thanks for making such a great app that in turn made our consumers happy, as well as put some money back in our pockets”. I completely agree with google doing this.

hmm…i thought android was meant to be open source…this is not how opensource software is developed :/ there should be git repository somewhere with nightly builds etc :( i mean i know there might be good reasons not to make the source code public…api thats gonna change etc but still i think they either shouldn’t give ‘corporate developers’ any advantages or they should stop calling it opensource and free system…for god sakes user’s doesn’t even have root access :/

To compound the issue… Those of who are a part of Motorola’s Apparently Accelerator Program (which is supposed to give us early access to tools to help us get a head start developing for Motorola devices) have gotten nothing but specs… which Motorola accidentally made public anyway.

So, what does that mean for all the other devs?Also, what happens when we buy the droid or any other 2.0 device are we the droid faithful gonna be stuck to using only the included apps or what? I dont think that the Big G is handling this appropriately. I understand from a corprate point of view but, that doesnt amount to sqwat i am a consumer droiddict not a corpie so smarten up Googie!

You’re talking about a two day jump on 2.0. Not that big a deal in the grand picture. Six to 8 weeks from now we’ll all have great phones and the apps that take advantage of 2.0 will start rolling out from these developers and others. If I was a developer and I wasn’t on that invite list I would work hard to make sure I was on the next invite list.

I don’t get the weird secrecy around Android 2.0. I thought it was supposed to be open.

If I had to guess, I would say it’s the intense competition breeding secrecy. One of the players must think they need a big splashy announcement with no big prior leaks, just little teasers to build up excitement. Maybe a combination of Verizon and Motorola. Google may just be playing along.

Ah well, so long as it all gets dropped to the AOSP eventually, that’s still way better than the rest of the smartphone OSes.

I don’t get the weird secrecy around Android 2.0. I thought it was supposed to be open.

If I had to guess, I would say it’s the intense competition breeding secrecy. One of the players must think they need a big splashy announcement with no big prior leaks, just little teasers to build up excitement. Maybe a combination of Verizon and Motorola. Google may just be playing along.

Ah well, so long as it all gets dropped to the AOSP eventually, that’s still way better than the rest of the smartphone OSes.
Sorry… forgot to say great post – can’t wait to read your next one!

The bigest thing I like about having a G1 phone is Google is always looking for better ways of improving my experence of my phone. I like what I’ve seen so far. My buddy has a I-Phone and doesn’t get updates. I guess he will have to buy a new I-Phone when G1 eclair 2.0 comes out.

I dont understand why everyone is freaking out about this invitation thing.

They are selecting users to try out 2.0 and give feedback about it, so they can release a more robust 2.0 when its time.

Of course they will do the 2.0 code drop into the git tree when its ready for everyone.
I don’t think it would be better if they released what they have so far if its not “ready”. Developers will want to stick to the release google makes without having to worry about important changes or re-testing their releases with different nightly builds.

I think its easier this way. It gets released when its completed, and then they do additional code drops to fix bugs, add smaller things, etc…

Not to rain on anyone’s parade here, but I believe that Google is doing the right thing. Think about it… They hand pick the best (user rating,downloads, etc.) and invite them. Why not pick the dev’s that produced the most profitable apps? It’s sort of an application if you think about it.

And why not pick the best dev’s for the job? This gives the Google and the dev’s that were picked a headstart on things in the sense of profit. You have to remember… Google is still a company and companies want to make money.

A lot of people complain about Apple being greedy bastards. As well as Windows. But they are companies. Why not complain about Whirlpool, GE, or the sort? Polo, Nike, Levi?
It makes no sense at all. Companies are all about profit. If they could make money and not deliver us the products they make, do you think they would would build such programs?
I dont think so. Be happy with what you have. And if for some reason you cannot do that…. build it yourself.

Juuum that’s good. But I wonder if Steve Kondike (Cyanogen) receive this invitation after what happens. That would be bad if he didn’t receive it. Specially knowing that The HTC Dream would suck right now without Steve intervention.

I think its completely fair to give developers of applications that are profiting google greatly a chance to preview new handsets/os updates before others. Its kind of a “Hey, thanks for making such a great app that in turn made our consumers happy, as well as put some money back in our pockets”. I completely agree with google doing this.

hmm…i thought android was meant to be open source…this is not how opensource software is developed :/ there should be git repository somewhere with nightly builds etc :( i mean i know there might be good reasons not to make the source code public…api thats gonna change etc but still i think they either shouldn’t give ‘corporate developers’ any advantages or they should stop calling it opensource and free system…for god sakes user’s doesn’t even have root access :/

To compound the issue… Those of who are a part of Motorola’s Apparently Accelerator Program (which is supposed to give us early access to tools to help us get a head start developing for Motorola devices) have gotten nothing but specs… which Motorola accidentally made public anyway.

So, what does that mean for all the other devs?Also, what happens when we buy the droid or any other 2.0 device are we the droid faithful gonna be stuck to using only the included apps or what? I dont think that the Big G is handling this appropriately. I understand from a corprate point of view but, that doesnt amount to sqwat i am a consumer droiddict not a corpie so smarten up Googie!

You’re talking about a two day jump on 2.0. Not that big a deal in the grand picture. Six to 8 weeks from now we’ll all have great phones and the apps that take advantage of 2.0 will start rolling out from these developers and others. If I was a developer and I wasn’t on that invite list I would work hard to make sure I was on the next invite list.

I don’t get the weird secrecy around Android 2.0. I thought it was supposed to be open.

If I had to guess, I would say it’s the intense competition breeding secrecy. One of the players must think they need a big splashy announcement with no big prior leaks, just little teasers to build up excitement. Maybe a combination of Verizon and Motorola. Google may just be playing along.

Ah well, so long as it all gets dropped to the AOSP eventually, that’s still way better than the rest of the smartphone OSes.

I don’t get the weird secrecy around Android 2.0. I thought it was supposed to be open.

If I had to guess, I would say it’s the intense competition breeding secrecy. One of the players must think they need a big splashy announcement with no big prior leaks, just little teasers to build up excitement. Maybe a combination of Verizon and Motorola. Google may just be playing along.

Ah well, so long as it all gets dropped to the AOSP eventually, that’s still way better than the rest of the smartphone OSes.
Sorry… forgot to say great post – can’t wait to read your next one!

The bigest thing I like about having a G1 phone is Google is always looking for better ways of improving my experence of my phone. I like what I’ve seen so far. My buddy has a I-Phone and doesn’t get updates. I guess he will have to buy a new I-Phone when G1 eclair 2.0 comes out.

I dont understand why everyone is freaking out about this invitation thing.

They are selecting users to try out 2.0 and give feedback about it, so they can release a more robust 2.0 when its time.

Of course they will do the 2.0 code drop into the git tree when its ready for everyone.
I don’t think it would be better if they released what they have so far if its not “ready”. Developers will want to stick to the release google makes without having to worry about important changes or re-testing their releases with different nightly builds.

I think its easier this way. It gets released when its completed, and then they do additional code drops to fix bugs, add smaller things, etc…

Not to rain on anyone’s parade here, but I believe that Google is doing the right thing. Think about it… They hand pick the best (user rating,downloads, etc.) and invite them. Why not pick the dev’s that produced the most profitable apps? It’s sort of an application if you think about it.

And why not pick the best dev’s for the job? This gives the Google and the dev’s that were picked a headstart on things in the sense of profit. You have to remember… Google is still a company and companies want to make money.

A lot of people complain about Apple being greedy bastards. As well as Windows. But they are companies. Why not complain about Whirlpool, GE, or the sort? Polo, Nike, Levi?
It makes no sense at all. Companies are all about profit. If they could make money and not deliver us the products they make, do you think they would would build such programs?
I dont think so. Be happy with what you have. And if for some reason you cannot do that…. build it yourself.